Riveting machine



` H. N. wYLlE a'r AL RIVETING MACHINE Filed March 3. 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 oct. 27, 1931. H. NL wYLlE ETAL 1,829,691

RIVETING MACHINE Filed March 3. 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 27, 1931. H. `N. wYLlE rai-Al.

RIVETING MACHINE Filed March 3, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Oct. 27, 1931 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE HAMILTON NE1L WYLIE AND PERdY GEORGE CRAIBBE, OF COVENTRY, ENGLAND, AS-

SIGNORS TO SIR G. ARMSTRONG WHIT'WORTH AIRCRAFT LIMITED, OF COVENTRY,

ENGLAND RIvmING MACHINE Application led March. 3, 1931, Serial No. 519,859, and in Great Britain April 7, 1930.

This invention relates to a machine for use in fixing pierced or tubular rivets, of the kind in which the rivet is mounted on a mandrel having an enlarged end so that,

@when the rivet 1s inserted in position, by

thrusting upon the head of the rivet and simultaneously pulling upon the mandrel the. latters enlarged head expands and upsets the rivet. The plain stem of the mandrel projecting beyond the rivet head can then be screw-threaded to receive a nut or otherwise adapted for securing attachments; or it may be cut off short or even 'pushed back. .filter-natively, the riveting operation may be such as is described in British patent specification No. 286,471, in which the mandrel is drawn completely through the rivet.

The object of the invention is to provide a. reliable machine by which the fixing ot such rivets can be easily and quickly accomplished, particularly when the mandrel is to be pulled completely through. when material forces are met with in distorting the mandrel head.

According to the invention, a riveting machine, for use in lixing such rivets, is operable on the rotation of an actuating member in one direction tirst to clamp the mandrel between two elements and then to draw the mandrel substantially axially. A preferred machine comprisesa number of hinged members arranged so that on rotation of the actuating lever twc of the members are irst drawn towards one another'to clamp the mandrel therebetween, and then held in these relative positions Whilst being rotated as a whole to draw the mandrel substantially axially. v

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention,

Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section. of a complete riveting machine,

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the various parts of the linkwork forming the actual mandrel-gripping and moving device, the parts being shown unassembled for clearness` Figure fi is a perspective view of the arrangement ot Figure shown in the assem-g bled position, Y

chlne lhas vertically-arranged links and is adapted for moving the mandrel horizontally. In Figure 1 the links are carried by a stationary frame 2 provided with feet 3 or with Wheels to enable it to be transported.

The actuating means involve a pedal 4 at one end of a prlmary lever 5, the other end of which is connected by a substantially vertical link 6 to the lower end of an actuating lever 7 hinged at 8 upon a vertical channel frame member 9 just below the point where the mandrel 10 is disposed when the machine is being operated, such that on the depression of the pedal the actuating' lever is rotated upwardly in the direction of the arrow A about its fixed centre 8.

Referring now to Figures 1-4 and Figure 7 one of the elements for use in gripping the mandrel 10 is a U-shaped or strap element 11 adapted to passover the mandrel and provided with an internal block 12 shaped to grip `the mandrel. The other element is a vertical fiat link 13 fitting Within the strap and provided With a groove 14 to engage the underside of the mandrel. These two elements are hereinafter referred to as the outer and centre members, respectively. They are connected to one another for relative movement in a vertical direction by means of a pin 15 secured to the centre member near the'upper end and operating in a slot 16 in .the outer member. N ormalljyr these elements lie against the rear face of the vertical frame member 9 adjacent to a hole therein receiving a bush 17 through which the mandrel extends during the riveting operation. the nose ot the bush engaging the rivet head 18 (Figure 7l. The outer member 11 is held in this position'by being lightly rietionally gripped by the frame until the mandrel is clamped between the outer. and centre members when the grip of the trame is easily overcome. In other words the outer member 11. is a press tit in the channel frame member 9.

Cil

' The centre member 13 is pivotally mounted at its lower end at 19 on a link 20, hereinafter referred to as the bottom member, which is in turn pivotally mounted at its lower end at 2l on the frame. The bottom member 20 has an offset portion away from this face of Y I the lframe which is pivotally linkedat 22 and 23 through 'a short-link 24, limited 'for-relative angular movement in one direction, to.l All,

the lower end 'of the outer member 11.` these links are' disposed within the si'desof the channel frame' member.

On the outer member 11 there is mounted a distance piece shown as a roller 25 'disposed to engage the rear face 26 of the centre member 13 and to hold the pivot pin 23 in position when there Vis no mandrel between the gripping members. A point on the outer member, for example. the hinge pin 27 -f-'or the roller` is connected-by a pair ot similar short links 2,8 to the actuating lever 7, being pivoted to the latter at 29.

, When the actuating lever 7 is rotated upwardly about its fixed centre by depressing the pedal 4. the thrust is transmitted through the short links 28 to the outer member 11,-this thrust urging the outer member rearwardlyto the lef't` Figure 4. During the initial part of this movement. as the upper end of the outer member 11 is held against lateral movement by frictional engagement with the stationary frame` the lower end ofthe outer member .is caused to turn about the upper end. As the lower end is linked by the short link 24 to the bottom member 2() (the lower end and linkforming a straightened toggle), the upper end of the outer member isvdrawn down towards the centremember 13 and thus clamps the mandrel firmly. 'I This clamping is effected during quite a small. movement of the actuating lever. Y

On further rotation of the latter, owing to the linkage formed by the outer member 11, the bottom member 2() and the interconnecting link 24 having been collapsed as much as possible. i. e.. owing to the mandrel preventing furthersliding of the outer member over the centre member, the linkagernechanism as a whole rotates about the fixed centre 21 at the lower end of the bottom member 20. If the'distance of this centre from the mandrel is relatively great the mandrel will bedrawn substantially axially by this operation-and the clamping pressure will not bc relaxed. 1

When the pressure is released from the' pedal and the actuating lever returned to its ofi' position the parts re-set. the clamping elements opening to release the mandrel, which can then be withdrawn by hand.

Conveniently a strap 30 is disposed around the mechanism and secured to theframe to limit the rotation of the mechanism about the lower fixed centre. This strap or stop is provided with an adjustment (not shown) so'- that the mandrel mav be drawn into a rivet to exactl the extent desired and then released, w en it is desired to leave the manrel in the rivet.

It willbe seen that by means of the invention mandrels can be very quickly operated and in a simple manner, and, furthermore, a very considerable clamping effect is applied to Y.the mandrels,which does not decrease whilek a mandrel is being drawn axially. Consequently the likelihood of a mandrel slipping out 'of the machine when the main l load comes on the machine is obviated.

It will be evident that the principles of the mechanism described are not restricted to cases in which the mechanism is arranged vertically. be modified in -various ways. For example, as shown in Figure 6, the centre and bottom members 13 and 20respec'tively, may be formed integrally as a single link such as 31, the other members being modified accordingly. Alternatively the short link 24 connectingvthe outer member 11 to the bottom member 20 may be dispensed with and these two members pivoted directly to one another as at 32, Figure 5.

What we claim as our invention and desi re to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A machine for use in fixing a tubular rivet by drawing a mandrelv into it, comprising two elements, an actuating member, and means whereby, on'rotation of, said actuating member in one direction, the mandrel is rst clamped between said two elements and then drawn substantially axially.

2. A machine for use in fixing a tubular rivet by drawing a mandrel into it, com- Moreover, the mechanism may' prising hinged members, an actuating lever,

and means .whereby on rotation of said actuating lever two of said members are first drawn towards one another, to clamp the mandrel therebetween, and then held in these relative positions whilst being rotated as a wholej to draw the mandrel substantially axiall". Y

3. machine for use in fixing a tubular rivet by drawing a mandrel into it, comprising a frame, members for gripping the mandrel, means for supporting said gripping members from said frame at one oint, an actuating member pivoted on said rame, a link interconnecting said actuating member and; one of said grip lng members and formingv with `said actuating member an unstraightened toggle, and means whereby when said toggle is moved in a straightening direction said gripping members are first operated in a gripping direction and then moved as a whole about said one point to draw the mandrel substantially axially whilst said gripping pressure isbeing maintained.

4. A machine for use in fixing a tubular rivet by drawing a mandrel into it. including va stationary frame, a system of hinged links pivoted at one point to the frame, two of the links being connected together adjacent their gripping ends by a slidable pivot, an actuating lever pivoted to the frame and connected to one of said two links, and means whereby movement of said actuating lever first causes said two links to be drawn together to grip the mandrel and then effects movement of the whole linkwork about its pivotal attachment to said frame to move the mandrel axially.

5. A machine for use in fixing a tubular rivet by drawing a mandrel into 1t, comprising a frame, an outer member in the form of a strap, a centre member, said outer and centre members being adapted for gripping the mandrel, means interconnecting said members adjacent their gripping ends for limited relative movement in a direction to grip and release the mandrel, frictionalV means for initially holding said outer memberlagainst rearward movement, an indirect hinged connection between-said members, an indirect hinged connection between said centre member and said frame including a pivot .on-said frame about which said members can be rotated as a rigid entity after the mandrel -has been gripped, an actuating member pivoted on said frame, and a connection between said outer member and said actuating member.

6. A machine for use in fixing a tubular rivet by drawing a mandrel into it, comprising a frame, an outer member in the form of a strap, a centre member, said outer and centre members being adapted for gripping the mandrel, a pin carried by one of said members adjacent its gripping end and engaging aslot in the other of said members to limit them for relative movement in a direction to grip and release the mandrel, frictional means or initially holding said outer member against lateral movement, a bottom member hmgedon said iframe, a hinged connection between said centre member and said bottom member, a hinged connection between said outer member and said bottom member, an actuating member pivoted on said frame, and a connection between said outer member and said actuating member.

7. A machine for use in fixing a tubular rivet by drawing a mandrel into it, compris-l ing a frame, an outer member, a centre 'member, said members being adapted for gripping the mandrel, means interconnecting said members at their gripping ends for limited relative movement in a direction to grip and release the mandrel, a bottom member pivoted to the other end of' said centre member, a link connecting the other end of said outer member to said bottom member, said link and outer member forming a partially-collapsed toggle, a hinged connection between the other end of said bottom member and-said frame, an actuating member pivoted on said frame,

vgle, such that, when first further collapsed to firmly and a link interconnecting said outer and actuating members and forming with said actuating member a said second-mentioned toggle is moved in a straightening direction, said first-mentioned toggle is first further collapsed to firmly grip the mandrel and said outer, centre and bottom members are then turned asa whole vabout said hinged connection between said bottom member and said frame to draw the mandrel substantially axially, while the gripping pressure increases approximately proportionately with the load on the mandrel.

8. A machine for use in fixing a tubular rivet by drawing a mandrel into it, comprising a frame, an outer member, a centre member, said members being adapted for gripping the mandrel, means interconnecting said members at their gripping ends for limited relative movement in a direction to grip and release the mandrel, a bottom member, a link connectin the other endl of said outer member to sa1d bottom member, said link and outer member forming a partially-eollapsed toggle, a hinged connection between the other end of said bottom member and said frame, frictional means for holding the gripping end of said outer member against rearward movement when the machine is first actuated, an actuating member pivoted on said frame, and a link interconnecting said outer and actuating members and forming with said actuating member a partially-collapsed toggle, such that, when said secondmentioned toggle is moved' in a straightening direction, said first-mentioned toggle is ip the mandrel and said outer, 'centre and bbttom members are then turned as a whole about said hinged connection between said bottom member and said frame to draw the mandrel substantially axially, while the gripping pres sure increases approximately proportionately with the load on the mandrel.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification.

HAMILTON NEIL WYLIE. PERCY GEORGE CRABBE.

partially-collapsed tog-V 

